Hero
by queenofquills
Summary: "Your dad was a hero. A real life superhero and he loved you so much that he didn't want you to get hurt, okay? His love for you was so great that he had to leave or else Momma and you would get our hearts broken by bad men who didn't like Dadda. Understand?" Full Summary Inside. Louis TomlinsonxJamie Vincent (OC)
1. Summary

"Your dad was a hero. A real life superhero and he loved you so much that he didn't want you to get hurt, okay? His love for you was so great that he had to leave or else Momma and you would get our hearts broken by bad men who didn't like Dadda. Understand?"

**Jamie Vincent:**

She is twenty, attending Doncaster College, and living with two of her best friends in an apartment complex. All her life she believed in three things: that she wanted to be a part of the medical field, her friendship with Darren Phillips and Charlie McAllen, and love. But ever since she met Louis Tomlinson her sophomore year, she's so not sure about that last part anymore. Before Louis, Jamie knew who she was and took pride in that, but after the split, she has serious doubts as to whether she can balance both a heart break and her studies.

Also, the substantial guilt on her shoulders that comes with being five months pregnant and neglecting to tell the father he'll _be_ a father.

**Louis Tomlinson:**

Oh, he's the one you wanna be. Or be under. One of five boys in a "little" band called One Direction, he certainly has the voice and the looks packed down. At only twenty-one, Louis has become a worldwide sensation along with his mates. Nothing must bother the superstar, right?

Except for the fact that his girlfriend has no idea she's a replacement for a woman he still loves after all this time. His boys can see it, even Management can see it. They've even warned him on several occasions not to call the girl from before his X-Factor days and he's obliged for two reasons: it'd only remind him of the excruciatingly painful damage she'd done to his heart, and it'd only look bad on his band if he dumped Eleanor Calder out of the blue for another girl.

Louis just wants to her back without strings attached. Just he and Jamie Vincent, like in the old days before he decided to be a puppet in this music industry.

**Fate:**

They weren't supposed to be there. One Direction had to do an interview in one hour but it all started with bad salmon and ended with Niall Horan going to the ER. Where a certain star met her again while she visited her mother in the same hospital. Only to his surprise, he sees she's not only pregnant, but not returning his joy at having been reunited.

An even worse blow comes when Jamie admits that the baby is her best friend, Darren's. But when she explains they aren't together, Louis is determined not to let her slip away so easily like the last time. He promises her that by the time she has the baby, she'll remember just why they fell in love in the first place because a special someone once told him that true love never dies. And people who are meant to be together always find their way in the end.


	2. Prologue

Prologue

* * *

"_And all the things that I wished I had not said_

_Are played in loops 'till it's madness in my head_

_Is it too late to remind you how we were?_

_But not our last days of silence, screaming, blur_

_Most of what I remember makes me sure_

_I should have stopped you from walking out the door"_

- **Snow Patrol**

* * *

"Don't you remember when we were happy, Lou?"

The flashing red told her it was 2 in the morning. On his end it would be 6 in the evening.

"Don't you remember anything from before?"

Silence. In that silence she curled into herself more and more, the chill of that December running over her exposed skin. She felt so vulnerable when a certain someone wasn't there to wrap their arms around her shaking frame. It was almost disgusting how much she could depend on that embrace to keep her warm in the past and now it still surprised her just how cold could affect her. Make her think things she wouldn't otherwise spend another thought on. "Are you there?"

"Yeah."

"I love you."

"Yeah. Okay."

"Louis?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry, love. I was talking with Niall about something. Management wants to meet in fifteen minutes. Which means I've got ta' go."

"Oh." Pause. "Did you hear any of that, then?"

"Oh, no, sorry. Sweetie, I really have to go. Text me in the morning." _Click._

"Okay," she whispered to the dial tone, "I really did love you."


	3. One

Chapter 1

* * *

"_The boy saw the comet and he felt as though his life had meaning. And when it went away, he waited his entire life for it to come back to him. It was more than just a comet because of what it brought to his life: direction, beauty, and meaning. There are many who couldn't understand, and sometimes he walked among them. But even in his darkest hours, he knew in his heart that someday it would return to him, and his world would be whole again... And his belief in God and love and art would be re-awakened in his heart."_

- **One Tree Hill**

* * *

He really didn't see it coming. They'd grown apart over the years, but he always believed in second chances. He always believed that love would find its way in the end. After all, she'd been the one to teach him that. Practically told him every day over the phone while they were apart. Even when he was sure the doubt would overcome his heart and make him stray, she never once worried about any girls that might come his way (and oh boy, there were many) because she had faith and her faith traveled with him everywhere. While his mates always asked how he did it, Louis couldn't see how it was hard for them. Resistance came easy, like breathing. Being in love, when it was real and good and rare, did wonders.

Which is why when he listened to his voicemail that morning, the twenty-year-old locked himself in the bathroom and told everyone not to bother him for a long, long time.

"Pick up the phone, Jamie. We have to talk."

"Jamie, I don't know what's going on. Please. Are you okay?"

"If you don't pick up I'm going to assume you're hurt. If you are, I love you. I'm coming home soon."

"I called your mother. She said you were fine. If you are, and if she's not lying because she never liked me, pick up!"

A knock an hour later sounded and then a male's voice came next. "Lou?" He cracked the door. Louis Tomlinson sat with his head bowed, his hands clasped together while he rested his elbows on his knees. He didn't acknowledge his band mate, Zayn Malik. "Hey, what's going on?" He slipped in, closing the door behind him and getting closer.

Louis held up his cell, pressing the play button and for a moment nothing happened. Then:

"Louis? Th-this is so hard to do. 'Cause you know I never loved anyone as much as I've loved you. Not my Mum-(**sniff**)**-**or my Dadda-(**sniff**)-or even my brother. What I feel for you goes beyond beautiful. It's sort a' tragic, actually. Destructive. We were _so_ great together, Lou. That is why I…" At this point of the message, you can tell the voice on the other end is struggling with the phone. "...I'm breaking up with you. I'm moving out tonight and by the time you get back, it'll be as if I never existed."

_End of Message._

"Hang on—_what?_" But as soon as Zayn moved forward for the phone, Louis chucked it at the opposite wall. He stood quickly. "No, no. Wait, Lou-!" To no avail as he watched his best friend stomp on the broken pieces over and over and over again. He kicked the useless thing a last time before storming out. From his place he could hear Liam Payne shouting after the man but a door slammed and he could only guess Louis had literally left the building. His attention went back to the crushed phone, sighing.

"What've you done, Jamie?"

(_The Boy Saw a Comet_)

That day really wasn't a good day for her.

The best thing to happen today was that she hadn't gotten hit by a car-no exaggeration needed. To start off the series of unfortunate events, she was late for her most important class—her major in Nursing- and spilled coffee on her Professor as she ran in the door. To make things worse, all her notes were left on a bench in front of her apartment complex while she waited for the bus. Lastly, she honestly did almost get run down by a cabbie, had she not had her friend, Charlie, looking out for her. "Watch where you're going, Jamison," Charlie McAllen sighed, releasing her friend's arm from her death grip. She watched the smaller girl rub that arm, rolling her eyes. "Oh, stop."

"You've been lifting since when, again? Eighth grade?" Jamie Vincent shot back, glaring.

"For rugby. It's not that serious. Honestly, big baby." Charlie chuckled as her best mate stuck her tongue out in response. "Exactly. Ugh, I'm hungry."

"Oh yeah," Jamie perked up, "I was trying to tell you about this great veggie bar in the restaurant…"

"No!" Charlie shouted. "A thousand times _no. _I supported your weird, hippie ways for a little while there but _seriously_? No."

Jamie crossed her arms, huffing. "I'm not a hippie," she muttered, kicking a stone aside. Really, she was adorable with her long, blonde waves falling into her face and sad, blue hues lowered to the ground while they walked across the lawn. Charlie wrapped her arm around her shoulders, pressing a loud kiss against her temple.

"Aw, shut it. I know you aren't. Look, there's Darren. We can sit with 'im and you can order your damn celery and watch us bicker over whether girls' rugby is a real sport or not." Jamie laughed; it was her favorite thing about the two when all three of them were together. Darren was convinced, though he knew zip about sports, that girls' rugby didn't count as an actual back-breaking event and Charlie would always tell him just where he could stick his sexist views and so on, so forth. It was amazing how well the pair got along most times. Especially since Darren met Jamie first in their freshman year of Uni, whereas Charlie and she had been mates since diapers.

"There're my girls!" Darren Phillips shouted, throwing open his arms in front of the university's hottest places to eat, Choco's Chips. But most of the students called it "Choco's" since they obviously served more than chips. Unless you were Charlie, who nicknamed it Chef Boyar-Don't. "Well, except you, Char. Half-girl." And they were making rude faces to each other well after Jamie had pulled them into the restaurant.

"So you guys can do that while I check out the veggie bar!" Jamie practically yelled over their arguing, of who needed serious beauty sleep more. She finally tore herself away from them, telling herself they'd be fine alone for just a few minutes. With her attention now on the various containers of green, she nearly cracked her tray from her overwhelming excitement. "I should go with the veggie linguini today…"

What happened next would never rewritten, no matter how many times she wished now that it would be. Meeting him was fate and even if she had a chance to turn back time to tell herself to stay where she was and keep looking, she couldn't (wouldn't) do it. But as fate would have it, they were out of the veggie linguini that day and if you wanted something, you had to ask for it up at the counter. So, the blonde turned and that's when he saw her just as he was walking out the door. She was short, and slim, and didn't know just how beautiful she was, even if everyone around her did. He'd never been so sure about something in his entire life, other than that he absolutely loved to sing. But he was sure he had to get her number, or at least a name, in that instant.

"Wait, check it out. I think that guy likes what he sees," Darren whispered, leaning closer to Charlie as they sat next to each other in the booth where their third party left them. She narrowed her eyes, but took a look for herself. Indeed, there was a boy standing by the door, almost as if he were mesmerized by Jamie while she strolled over to the counter and started talking to Choco, the cook. If anything, he had a gorgeous smile that appeared when they both watched Jamie toss her hair over her shoulder and laugh at something Choco probably said.

"How long…?"

"Not long."

He was right. The boy, unwinding his body from his long, winter coat and dropping it into a nearby booth began moving over to her. Just as Jamie picked up her order and started to back away with a long goodbye to the cook, it was either her fault for not paying attention, or his for not realizing just how close he was to her. In any case, Darren hissed an exaggerated, "boom," just as Jamie bumped into the tall, lean figure of a stranger waiting to get his own order.

"Sorry!"

"Sorry."

"For what? That was my fault I-."

"Your noodles…"

"Sorry? You're _sorry_ for my _noodles?_"

"Well…that's not what I meant. Look." The man nodded to the linguini as it slid slowly over the side of her tray and plopped onto the floor. He stood back and watched in amusement as she struggled with the napkins set to the side and tried cleaning up her mess, meanwhile stuttering out apologies to him, to Choco, and to anyone around who just wanted a coffee and had to wait on her. He was laughing by the time the heavyset cook himself had to hobble out and tell Jamie to forget about it and step aside.

When she did, she gave him a curt nod. "Well, my mates are waiting for me over there. Is….your foot alright?"

He grinned and wiggled that part of him. "I'm no Doctor but I diagnose a long lifespan for 'im," he teased and Jamie chuckled with him. Up closer, he could see the tint of pink spanning across tiny freckles that dotted her nose and cheeks. But what kept his attention the most was her eyes—how the Hell someone could be so insecure about those gems was a mystery. He, however, never signed up here to analyze the female species, he just wanted to impress them on occasion and not make a complete arse of himself.

The blonde shifted her weight, looking as if she had more to say. Just then two others joined her; a boy and a girl. "Hey-we've got fifteen minutes before Chem," the girl reminded her.

"Exactly thirteen," Darren cut in.

"Shut up, you sound like an asshole when you correct women."

"It's a good thing I was correcting _you_, now isn't it?'

"I swear to God if I ever find my bat—where did you hide it, again, sweet?" She turned to Jamie.

"Oh, please, not this again, Charlie. Use your _words._"

"….'llo."

All three couldn't keep their eyes off him after he spoke up. Possibly they forgot about him but now he was the center of attention. And how could he not be? All three were spellbound with this giant creature who looked very fit in his jeans and black, knit sweater that only made his blue-green eyes pop the better.

…. "Who the 'ell are you?" ….

"_Charlotte!"_ (Darren and Jamie simultaneously.)

"Wha-a-a-at? It's a legit question." Charlie stuck up her nose.

His introduction was interrupted however, by the blonde facing him, throwing him off once more with her gorgeous hues that pleaded for forgiveness (perhaps for her friend's blunt behavior?). "I'm sorry," Jamie sighed, turning to the stranger, "but we have to go. _Trust _me." She threw a look towards her best friend, and Charlie shrugged her shoulders with as much shame as a five-year-old. Darren shook his head.

He smiled easily, thinking them to be right up the ally of people he's surrounded himself with before. "Right. Okay. See you…around?"

"Maybe the next time we make sure we _see_ each other?"

"Just maybe." But as Louis Tomlinson watched them leave the restaurant, his grin faded, realization dawning on him. He never did catch her name.

(_Present_)

Convincing the other lads to accompany him back to Doncaster was not easy. They all had their fair share of girl troubles, and they'd always promised on anything that meant of any value to them (for Niall, food; Harry, his hair products) that they'd put One Direction above all else. Except family, 'course.

Which is exactly why Louis didn't understand how they could crowd around him and shake their hands like this. "Jamie has been here since the very beginning. She didn't know _you,_" pointing to Zayn, "or you. Or you, Hazza." The curly-haired boy bent his head low over his guitar, feigning a deaf ear to the truth.

"And yet she supported you," Louis finished, his features perfectly unreadable. Though they could feel the rage radiating off him in waves.

"She only did that cause of you, Lou. You're her boyfriend, after all," Zayn stopped at the glare he was given. If he didn't know his best mate well, he might have expected a blow or two after he'd blurted that out. He certainly deserved it.

"Do you honestly believe that load of shite, Zayn?" The other male spat. He could name off several hundred ways his wonderful Jamie had proved herself to be worthy of not just him, but also to all five of them in general. "Cause I remember Miranda."

Silence. "Oh yeah," Zayn whispered, his eyes focused on a particular spot on the carpet. The boys reached over and clapped his back in understanding and support. After all, Miranda Woods, his ex-girlfriend of five months, had been the only girl thus far to break the lad's heart. Really break it, too, when he caught her with one of his supposed best mates during the X-factor days. They all remembered, then, how he refused to eat or sing. All he seemed to want to do was sleep because he rarely left his hotel room. It was really Jamie who went where no man-or woman, for that matter-went before: inside his room.

A frantic Louis had been sure that, five hours later, Jamie'd been murdered. But when she finally reappeared at dinner, she was not alone. Though Zayn still didn't have much of an appetite or looked remotely close to talking about it with the other blokes, he steadily began to heal. Each time it seemed he might not make it, Jamie would pull him aside, or take his shaking hand and still it in hers.

It was enough to drive boyfriend Louis absolutely mental. Until Zayn moved on to an actress named Katie Cruz one month later. All was well after that, and they had Jamie to thank.

While he was at it, Louis turned to Harry Styles. "What about you?"

"What about me, eh?"

He shook his head. "Don't be like that. You know what I'm talking about." Their eyes locked for several minutes and the rest of them teetered between intrigue and feeling uncomfortable.

Finally, Harry broke the contact and whispered, "yeah."

"Right. Any more objections?" The brunette asked loudly, circling on spot. Not a single one.

That next day, they cut their international tour short and took the next plane home.


End file.
